molly watt - camp digital 2016
TRANSCRIPT
LIFE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT BATTLE FOR ACCESSIBILITY
▸ Education
▸ Hearing aids gave me access to people/+ communication
▸ 2002 - I went digital
THINGS WERE NOT GETTING EASIER
▸ However, with my eyes progressively worsening this wasn't enough.
▸ I felt 'deafer.'
▸ I needed more to access my education
START OF MY TECHNOLOGY JOURNEY
PROVISION / PREFERENCE
▸ I was provided with a Dell laptop with Jaws. I didn't get on with this;
▸ Firstly this wasn't inclusive in a classroom - I stuck out.
▸ A friend introduced me to Mac...
APPLE IS ME
▸ I massively benefited from the built in Accessibility features in a Mac.
▸ It was from the age of 13 [year after diagnosis] I had gone 'Apple.'
▸ I could manually adjust exam papers, power points, spreadsheets- anything on this Mac screen so I could personally access my education.
AS MY VISUAL WORLD GOT SMALLER
▸ My apple collection grew...
▸ I've used iPhones, again their built in accessibility features enabled me to access all things my friends could.
▸ Of course it was only natural to get an iPad.
▸ All this and I got good GCSEs, and even A Levels
THE 'REAL WORLD'▸ Teacher aspirations
▸ I worked incredibly hard to get into university
▸ To get onto a teaching degrees you have to do Skills tests (maths and English) alongside a levels
▸ these skill tests were to be taken via a government website....
▸ They had a set up for the deaf/ special needs - (extra time) however was inaccessible to get as you had to contact over the phone to get book it. Lots of deaf people cannot use the telephone.
▸ And because it was done online, the whole paper was inaccessible to the blind.
▸ At that time, I could not hear on the phone- had to rely on my parents and college to again find a way forward. Independent tests were set for me that college would execute.
THOUGH I STUDIED HARD
▸ The tests were inaccessible to the deaf blind.
▸ However I made it
▸ Even though I passed and eventually got myself into a university that is supposedly top 3 in England for teaching....
IGNORANCE AND LACK OF ACCESS
▸ After battling for a long 5 months, I withdrew.
▸ The system let me down.
▸ My tools weren't enough
▸ I do believe to this day I would have made a great teacher
MOLLY WATT TRUST (AMBASSADOR FOR SENSE) 2011.
THE ONLY WAY IS UP
▸ Having withdrawn I altered focus back to my charity and started blogging.
▸ A lot to do with access.
▸ Back to Apple...
SHOCKER
A GIMMICK TO SOME, A GATE TO INDEPENDENCE TO OTHERS
▸ As a charity we have also been able to provide watches to those with Usher syndrome who have fed back some amazing confidence and independence building stories.
▸ They have been blogged about on my trust website.
▸ Independence > confidence > acceptance > inclusion
PASSION FOR ACCESSIBILITY
THIS BLOG TAUGHT ME MORE ABOUT ACCESS
▸ Made aware of ReSound hearing aids
▸ Bluetooth connectivity > iPhone AND Apple Watch.
▸ Even more independence.
▸ Eg. Answering a phone call, listening to music.
SIDE NOTE.
ONE OBSTACLE MANY FACE WITH USHER SYNDROME?
▸ Ignorance
▸ The struggle for employment.
▸ Something to take away from this? A member of the public, or an employer....
RECOGNISE THE CAPABILITIES OF THOSE WITH SENSORY IMPAIRMENT WITH THE USE OF ACCESSIBLE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.